Railroad bridge tie anchor

ABSTRACT

An elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section has a flat end bearing portion and an arcuate end portion to engage the lower face of a railway tie and the lower side of a cover plate on a bridge girder. Said arcuate portion has an elongated slot, upwardly through which and through the tie, passes a bolt which has a head at one end underlying said arcuate portion and means at its other end to tense the bolt.

United States Patent Inventor Garwood N. Burwell Madison, NJ. Appl. No.754,835 Filed Aug. 23, 1968 Patented .Ian. 5, 1971 Assignee The RailsCompany Hamden, Conn. Maplewood; N.J., a corporation of ConnecticutRAILROAD BRIDGE TIE ANCHOR 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 238/310, 238/349 Int. Cl E01b 9/44 Field of Search 238/349,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,338,520 8/1967 Dinger238/349 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Harry B. Rook ABSTRACT:An elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section has a flat endbearing portion and an arcuate end portion to engage the lower face of arailway tie and the lower side of a cover plate on a bridge girder. Saidarcuate portion has an elongated slot, upwardly through which andthrough the tie, passes a bolt which has a head at one end underlyingsaid arcuate portion and means at its other end to tense the bolt.

PATENTEU JAN 5l97| INVljN'l'OR.

Guru 000 D. Barn/6Z1,

RAILROAD BRIDGE TIE ANCHOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of theInvention This invention relates particularly to means for securing oranchoring railway ties on a bridge. Railway bridges are composedessentially of wooden crossties laid at right angles to the actual loadcarrying rails and supported by steel girders that are at right anglesto the ties that they support and hence, parallel, with the loadcarrying rails.

The ties on one bridge may differ in dimensions from the ties on otherbridges. Generally, the girders have cover plates beneath the ties, andthe cover plates in orie bridge may differ in thickness from the coverplates in another bridge.

The load carrying tails are fixed to the ties and are subject toexpansion andcontraction during extremes of temperature and this causesthe underlying ties to shift forward and backward along the bridgegirders resulting in wear and general deterioration of the bearing.surfaces of the ties, with the resultant danger of derailment oftrai'nswith loss of life and valuable equipment as well as freight. Alsothe wooden ties shrink as a result of alternate wetting and drying.

2. Description of the Prior Art 5. There is a need for satisfactorilybridge. Bridge tie anchors heretofore in use comprise a resilient curvedplate having one end abutting the bottom surface of the tie and itsother end slidably abutting the underside of a cover plate or girderflange and having'a'circular bolt hole of about the same diameter as abolt-which passes through the hole and through the tie andhas a headatone end and aunt on the other end,--one of which underliestheplate-while the other is above the tie to-tense the bolt. v

However, these knownanchors do not permit the use of the anchors withcover plates of I substantially different thicknesses, so it isnecessary to carry an inventory of anchors of different sizes andshapes.

suMMAiiv A primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a bridgetie anchor embodying novel and improved features of construction whichwill continuously ensure a firm clamping of the tie on a bridge girderdespiteshrinkage of the wooden tie, which will ensure adequate resilientclamping of ties on bridges having cover plates of different thicknessesso that the same anchor may be used on different bridges and therebyeliminate the necessity for a large ferent sizes.

In general the invention provides an elongated resilient cliprectangular in cross section and havingaflat end bearing portion toengage the lower face of a tie and also having its opposite end portionarcuate and spaced longitudinally of .the clip from said bearingportion. Said arcuate portion having an elongated slot extendinglongitudinally of the clip to receive a bolt which is of a diametersubstantially less than the length of the slot and such as to slidablyengage the sides of the slot, providing for swinging of the clip aboutthe free extremity of said bearing 'portion and relatively to the beltfor adjusting the position of the extremity of the arcuateport ion sothat the clip can be used with cover plates or girder flanges ofsubstantially different thicknesses. I

A BRIEF DESCRIPTIONQF THE DRAWING securing the ties on a inventory ofanchors of dif- 1 Referring to the drawing, reference character Adesignates a wooden tie one end of which is seated on'cover plates B fora bridge girder C. The other end portion of thetie. is similarly set onanother bridge girder and the usualrails D are secured to the tie byspikes E. Passing through the tie adjacent each end thereof is aprebored hole through which-passes a'bolt F having a head 1 underlying aresilient clipG and having at its other end means such as a nut 2 abovethe tie for tensing'the bolts.

' The resilient clip comprises an elongated piece of resilient material,particularly heat treated steel, which is rectangular in cross sectionand has a flat end bearing portion 3 having projections, forexampleupturned corners 4 to be imbedded in the lower face of the tie. Theother endpo'rtion 5 of the clip is'arcuatelycurved about a center oraxis 6 and with a radius 7' which is determined by the general,dimensions of the bridge structure to which the anchor is to be applied.Spacing apart the end bearing portion 3 and thearcuate portion is anapproximately straight portion 8. The arcuate portion has an elongatedslot 9 extending longitudinally of the clip and having its endsapproximately equidistantly-spacedfrom the ends of the arcuate portion,the length of the-slot being substan tially greater than the diameter ofthe bolt and the width of the slot being such that the sides ofv theslot 'slidably engage the bolt F.

' The intermediate portion8 is angularly related to the plane of theflat end bearing portion 3, and'theimaginarycenter-6 of v the arcuatelycurved portion 5 is locatedat the side ofthe plane tion.

In use, the bolt is inserted through the slot 9 and the tie and the clipis located withits end bearing portion 3 abutting the lower face '10 ofthe tie and with the extremityof the arcuate portion slidably abuttingthe bottom face 11 'of the cover plate. The nut 2 or other means fortensin'g the bolt is applied to the .upper end of the bolt above thetie, a washer 12 preferably being used between the nut arid the lie, Thenut is I tightened until the arcuate portion is flexed to apply thedesired resilient pressure to the tie and'the cover plate or' girder forsecurely clamping the tie against movement.

For accommodating cover plates of different'thicknesses.- I

the clip is swingable about the end bearing portion 3 and relatively tothe bolt so that for the thicker cover'plates the clip will bepositioned as shown by solid'lines in FIG. 2 and for thinner coverplates the clip will assume the position shown by dot and dash lines inFIG. 2. In all positions of the clip, the axis or center of the arcuateportion lies in anaxial plane of the bolt and the axis of the bolt iscoincident with-a radial line of.

the arcuate portion as best shown .in FIG. 2 where the center of thearcuate portion in the two positions, of the clip are in dicated by thereference numerals 6 and 6. ,respective'ly, With this construction, inall positions of-the clip, the arcuate portion engages the bolt head ina radial plane of the arcuate portion and an axial plane of the bolt sothat a firm balanced env gage'ment between the bolt head and the clip isensured at all positions of the clip. The slot permits such swinging ofthe clip and-the straight portion 8 of the clip provides the lengthwhich 7 in turn permits the required pivotal'action of the clip toaccommodate cover plates or girder flanges of different thicknesses,while ensuring the relationship of the arcuate portion to the boltabove'described. The clip in all of its positions affords adequatespring action to: firmly hold the tie on the girder and to compensatefor shrinkage of the ties and the v bridge structure.

Iclaim: I 1. The combination of a wooden tie resting on a girder havinga cover plate, an elongated resilient-clip rectangular in cross sectionand having a flat and bearing portion engaging the lower face of saidtie, the corners of said heating portion being bent up and embedded insaid tie'; 'an'arcuately curved of said flat end portion oppositesaid-intermediate por-.

opposite end portion of said resilient clip slidably engaging the lowerface of said cover plate and free to move thereon as said resilient clipis flexed, said arcuately curved portion having a slot extendinglongitudinally of said clip with its ends approximately equidistant fromthe ends of said arcuately curved portion, a bolt passing upwardlythrough said slot and said tie with its head abutting the underside ofsaid arcuately curved portion and with its axis coincident with a radialline of said arcuately curved portion, a nut threaded on the upper endof the bolt and engaging above the tie whereby to tense said bolt andflex said clip, said clip being swingable about the free extremity ofsaid bearing portion and relatively to said bolt for adjusting theposition of said extremity of the arcuately curved portion toaccommodate cover plates of different thickness.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said clip has anapproximately straight portion spacing apart said flat end bearingportion and said arcuately curved portion.

3. The combination of a wooden tie resting on a girder having a coverplate, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section andhaving a flat end bearing portion engaging the lower face of said tie,said bearingportion having projections embedded in said tie, said clipalso having its opposite end portion arcuate and spaced from saidbearing portion, the free extremity of said arcuate portion slidablyengaging the bottom face of the cover plate and being free to movethereon as said clip is flexed, there being an elongated slot extendinglongitudinally of the clip intermediate the ends of said arcuateportion, a bolt extending upwardly through said slot and said tie withits head underlying said arcuate portion, the bolt being of a diametersubstantially less than the length of the slot and such as to slidablyengage the sidesof said slot, means at the other end of the bolt abovethe tie to tense the bolt and flex the clip, said clip being swingableabout the free extremity of said bearing portion and relatively to saidbolt for adjusting the position of said extremity of the arcuate portionto accommodate cover plates of different thickness.-

4. The combination of a wooden tie resting on a girder having a coverplate, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section andhaving a flat end bearing portion engaging the lower face of said tie,said bearing portion having projections embedded in said tie, said clipalso having its opposite end portion arcuate, the free extremity of saidarcuate portion slidably engaging the bottom face of the cover plate andbeing free to move thereon as said clip is flexed, there being anelongated slot extending longitudinally of the clip intermediate theends of said arcuate portion, a bolt extending through said slot andsaid tie with a head at one end and means at its other end to tense thebolt one of which underliesfthe arcuate portion of the clip while theother is above thetie, the bolt being of a diameter substantially lessthan the length of the slot and such as to slidably engage the sides ofthe slot, said clip being swingable about the free extremity of saidbearing portion relatively to said bolt for adjusting the position ofsaid extremity of the arcuate portion to accommodate cover plates ofdifferent thicknesses. T

5. For use in a bridge tie anchor, an elongated resilient cliprectangular in cross section and having a tie engaging flat end bearingportion provided with projections to bite into .a tie, said clip alsohaving its opposite end portion arcuately curved and disposed at oneside of the plane of said flat end bearing portion and having a freeextremity to underly and engage a part of a bridge, there being anelongated slot extending longitudinally of said clip and through saidarcuately curved portion between said flat end bearing portion and thefree extremity of said arcuately curved portion, the imaginary center ofsaid arcuately curved portion being located at the other side of theplane of said tie-engaging flat end bearing portion, said slot having alength substantially greaterthan the diameter of a bolt to be insertedtherethrough and having a width such that the bolt will slidably engagethe sides of the slot.

6. For use in a bridge tie anchor, an elongated resilient cliprectangular in cross section and having a tie engaging flat end bearingportion provided with projections to bite into a tie said clip alsohaving its opposite endportron arcuately curved and spaced by anintermediate portion from said flat end bear ing portion and having afree bridge engaging extremity, there being an elongated slotextendinglongitudinally of said clip and through said arcuately curvedportion between said intermediate portion, and the free extremity ofsaid arcuately curved portion to receive a bolt disposed'in radialrelation to said arcuately curved portion, said intermediate portionbeing angularly related to and at one side of the plane of said flat endbearing portion and curved portion-being said flat end portion thelength of said slot being substantially greater than the diameter of abolt inserted through the slot and the width of the slot being such thatthe sides of the slot will slidably engage said bolt.

the imaginary center of said arcuately located at the other side of theplane of

1. The combination of a wooden tie resting on a girder having a cover plate, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section and having a flat and bearing portion engaging the lower face of said tie, the corners of said bearing portion being bent up and embedded in said tie, an arcuately curved opposite end portion of said resilient clip slidably engaging the lower face of said cover plate and free to move thereon as said resilient clip is flexed, said arcuately curved portion having a slot extending longitudinally of said clip with its ends approximately equidistant from the ends of said arcuately curved portion, a bolt passing upwardly through said slot and said tie with its head abutting the underside of said arcuately curved portion and with its axis coincident with a radial line of said arcuately curved portion, a nut threaded on the upper end of the bolt and engaging above the tie whereby to tense said bolt and flex said clip, said clip being swingable about the free extremity of said bearing portion and relatively to said bolt for adjusting the position of said extremity of the arcuately curved portion to accommodate cover plates of different thickness.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said clip has an approximately straight portion spacing apart said flat end bearing portion and said arcuately curved portion.
 3. The combination of a wooden tie resting on a girder having a cover plate, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section and having a flat end bearing portion engaging the lower face of said tie, said bearing portion having projections embedded in said tie, said clip also having its opposite end portion arcuate and spaced from said bearing portion, the free extremity of said arcuate portion slidably engaging the bottom face of the cover plate and being free to move thereon as said clip is flexed, there being an elongated slot extending longitudinally of the clip intermediate the ends of said arcuate portion, a bolt extending upwardly through said slot and said tie with its head underlying said arcuate portion, the bolt being of a diameter substantially less than the length of the slot and such as to slidably engage the sides of said slot, means at the other end of the bolt above the tie to tense the bolt and flex the clip, said clip being swingable about the free extremity of said bearing portion and relatively to said bolt for adjusting the position of said extremity of the arcuate portion to accommodate cover plates of different thickness.
 4. The combination of a wooden tie resting on a girder having a cover plate, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section and having a flat end bearing portion engaging the lower face of said tie, said bearing portion having projections embedded in said tie, said clip also having its opposite end portion arcuate, the free extremity of said arcuate portion slidably engaging the bottom face of the cover plate and being free to move thereon as said clip is flexed, there being an elongated slot extending longitudinally of the clip intermediate the ends of said arcuate portion, a bolt extending through said slot and said tie with a head at one end and means at its other end to tense the bolt one of which underlies the arcuate portion of the clip while the other is above the tie, the bolt being of a diameter substantially less than the length of the slot and such as to slidably engage the sides of the slot, said clip being swingable about the free extremity of said bearing portion relatively to said bolt for adjusting the position of said Extremity of the arcuate portion to accommodate cover plates of different thicknesses.
 5. For use in a bridge tie anchor, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section and having a tie engaging flat end bearing portion provided with projections to bite into a tie, said clip also having its opposite end portion arcuately curved and disposed at one side of the plane of said flat end bearing portion and having a free extremity to underly and engage a part of a bridge, there being an elongated slot extending longitudinally of said clip and through said arcuately curved portion between said flat end bearing portion and the free extremity of said arcuately curved portion, the imaginary center of said arcuately curved portion being located at the other side of the plane of said tie-engaging flat end bearing portion, said slot having a length substantially greater than the diameter of a bolt to be inserted therethrough and having a width such that the bolt will slidably engage the sides of the slot.
 6. For use in a bridge tie anchor, an elongated resilient clip rectangular in cross section and having a tie engaging flat end bearing portion provided with projections to bite into a tie, said clip also having its opposite end portion arcuately curved and spaced by an intermediate portion from said flat end bearing portion and having a free bridge engaging extremity, there being an elongated slot extending longitudinally of said clip and through said arcuately curved portion between said intermediate portion, and the free extremity of said arcuately curved portion to receive a bolt disposed in radial relation to said arcuately curved portion, said intermediate portion being angularly related to and at one side of the plane of said flat end bearing portion and the imaginary center of said arcuately curved portion being located at the other side of the plane of said flat end portion the length of said slot being substantially greater than the diameter of a bolt inserted through the slot and the width of the slot being such that the sides of the slot will slidably engage said bolt. 